


Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

by Jakey_kun



Category: Homestuck
Genre: I'll add more tags as they come up, Minor Character Death, Red Riding Hood AU, Shifters, faerie tales
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-08
Updated: 2016-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-25 08:58:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4954297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jakey_kun/pseuds/Jakey_kun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Once Upon a Time, there was a man who lived in a forest by a village. Whenever he strolled out of his den, the other animals cowered in fear at his immense size and malevolent atmosphere. From his head to his paws, he was 100%  predatory machine. His eyes glowed even in the light, vibrant green and steely. His canines extended to the point of fangs, sharp and luminescent. His jaw, angular and chiseled. His torso and shoulders, sculpted and strong from hunting and capturing meals.  At his full height, he stands about 6 feet tall, and not an inch was made up of fat. He had a glare dark enough to make even the village butcher turn tail and run. He kept away from the other villagers, and had a tendency to act animalistic, even in the simplest of situations. Because of this, he was known as the Big Bad Wolf.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, so I'm going to try and redo this fic. I had started it a while ago, but gave up because I didn't know where to take the story. However, I've been given inspiration, so I will start anew. 
> 
> This is my attempt at a Red Riding Hood Au. It will be based loosely off the book, but don't expect a lot of the same details.  
> If anyone has time, would you mind leaving feedback? I'm going to try and actually make this a long fic, so any comments, critical or otherwise will be appreciated. Thank you :DD

_Once Upon a Time, there was a man who lived in a forest by a village. Whenever he strolled out of his den, the other animals cowered in fear at his immense size and malevolent atmosphere. From his head to his paws, he was 100%  predatory machine. His eyes glowed even in the light, vibrant green and steely. His canines extended to the point of fangs, sharp and luminescent. His jaw, angular and chiseled. His torso and shoulders, sculpted and strong from hunting and capturing meals.  At his full height, he stands about 6 feet tall, and not an inch was made up of fat. He had a glare dark enough to make even the village butcher turn tail and run. He kept away from the other villagers, and had a tendency to act animalistic, even in the simplest of situations. Because of this, he was known as the Big Bad Wolf.  
_

* * *

“Bro?”   
  
“Yeah, little man?”  
  
You’re sitting on your big brother’s lap, trembling with barely-contained fear. Expecting pages of beautiful ocean creatures and mischievous fae, you’d asked him to read some stories from the volume of faerie tales your parents had bought for the two of you. Now you’re starting to regret your decision. Even as the fire crackles cheerfully and bathes you in soft light, and the familiar combination of leather, cedar, and oranges lets you know you’re safe, your 6-year-old imagination brings shadowy figures, glowing green eyes, and sharp bright smiles to your mind.  “Do you think he’s still out there?”   
  
Bro shakes his head, waving his hand lazily through the air, “Probably not. Why would anyone want to sit out in the forest for years? It’d be awful to live by yourself. No one wants to be alone, D.”   
  
You furrow your eyebrows, confused at the statement. You always wish to be alone. When the other village boys and girls corner you in the courtyard and call you ‘demon-spawn’ because of your eye color, you want nothing more than for them to leave you. The only person you ever like being around is your brother. “But _we’re_ alone, Bro.”  
For a startling moment, you think he’s about to cry, which shocks you to the core. Never has he ever shown you any form of a negative emotion, and you hurry to correct your mistake. “B-But it’s okay! You’re the best brother ever and we have each other!” You hug him tightly, anxiously, until he returns your affection before relaxing. When you pull away and glance up at him, he’s smiling, red eyes drowning you in their fondness. Sometimes you forget how lucky you are to have a brother like Bro. He’s 7 years older, but he always treats you with the same respect he gives to everyone else.    
  


“You’re right. We do have each other, And it just so happens that _I’ve_ got the best little brother ever.” He laughs and grabs you, jabbing his fingers under your ticklish ribs, while you squeal and beg for mercy. Eventually he stops after your tears of laughter turn to pain, and scoops you up with an exaggerated grunt. “Time for bed, Dirk.”   
  
Whining, you try to wiggle out of his arms, but he’s got you with an iron grip. Knowing it’s best to do what he wants, you give up and giggle while he drops you on your pallet. He pulls the covers over your body and tucks you in. You close your eyes and attempt to get comfortable.   
  
“Night, little man.”    
  
“..Bro?”   
“Yes?”  
  
“Do you think the wolf hunts people?”   
  
Your brother wanders away from you to put out the fire, leaving the two of you in the dark. You can hear him walk over to his pallet on the other side of the room. “I’m not sure about eating people, since he's human, but everyone needs to eat so I’m sure he’d hunt. Why?”  
  
“Do you think he killed mom and dad?”   
  
You hear him inhale, a sharp quick sound, before he lets it out slowly, “Mom and dad aren’t dead, Dirk. They’ll be back, they promised, remember? Father Makara blessed them before they left, which means no evil spirits can touch them. Don't worry. They’ll  be safe.”    
  
You nod in the darkness, soothed, before drifting off to sleep.   
  
_If only you had known what was to come._


	2. Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Don’t fret little one, soon you’ll have nothing to worry about."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was a fast update. I'm really pumped about this! But I will be updating my other fics very soon.

  
**11 years later**  
  
_Anxiety._ He can smell it rolling off the child in waves. _Pathetic_. It’s just sitting there crying and gasping, as if its tears will suddenly make the sky lighter and the darkness back away. _Humans are so helpless, so careless_. He supposes it doesn’t matter. The more villagers that let their eyes wander and allow their children to enter the forest alone, the better he eats. Some might call it cruel, but for this wolf, it is survival. Of course, it’s not by chance that he’d found the child. He’d noticed it playing at the entrance of the woods, and purposely bewitched it away from the edges of the forest. He’d shed his wolf skin, and frolicked together with the small one  in his human form. He’d told the child glittering stories of creatures from far off lands, and chased butterflies with it.  As night approached, he entranced it into dismissing the way the sun sank late into the evening, all the while leading it closer and closer to his den. When the small  noticed it was lost and had expressed its dismay, the wolf assured the child that he’d get help, and disappeared into a thicket of bushes. Now, from his hiding spot, the man shifts forms again, relishing in the feel of his fur and paws. He waits patiently and licks his lips. He can only imagine what the small human will taste like. It’s plump and weak, which makes it all the better. It’s a delight to have such an easy meal. He doesn’t have the chance to enjoy often, as some like to fight back (It’s all for naught anyway, as he always wins). Drawn in by the tantalizing smell it gives off, the wolves leaves his bush, purposely rustling against it, and revels in the sharp, tangy fear the child is flooded in as it looks for the source of the sound. Sensing danger, its wails become louder, sounding like sweet music to the wolf’s ears.    
_Don’t fret little one, soon you’ll have nothing to worry about._  
  
He pounces on the child, effectively cutting off it’s cries, and silencing it forever with one big bite.  
  


* * *

  
 _“No one knows where the man comes from, nor what he does in the light. Legend has it that if one enters the forest after dark, they will not live to see the day.”_  
  
  
You snort and slam the book of Faerie tales closed. You can’t believe you enjoyed things like this when you were little. Every sane villager knows that shifters haven’t existed for a good century. You sigh and drop the book on the wooden table  in front of you as the faint sounds of  bell in the center of the main square begins to toll, signaling a meeting. Shucking on your outside clothing, you leave and make your way over. It’s a full square today, even the blacksmith is here. Something important has to be going on. Eager to keep your distance from the bustling crowd, you lean against a shadowy corner and wait.   
  
“Can I have everyone’s attention please?”   
  
Interesting. They never bring out Reverend Kankri, unless there’s a serious problem.   
  
“As you all might have heard one way or another, Tavros Nitram has been missing since yesterday’s harvest. I apologize for being insensitive to those who have a fear of speaking aloud, but If anyone has seen him, please say ‘aye’.”   
  
The square goes deathly quiet. You’re shocked, although you don’t let it show.  The last time someone went missing, they’d never come back. Startled, you clench your fists. _They’re not dead. They’ll be back. They promised._ The sound of sobbing jerks you back to reality, where you notice Tavros’ brother, Rufioh, and their dad standing huddled together. You’re tempted to go over, as you’d often watched Tavros when he was a baby and neither of his kin could escape harvesting wood, but you feel like now isn’t the right time. You’ll make sure to visit them later tonight. Eventually, when not a person has any information on Tavros’ disappearance, the meeting is adjourned, and the square empties silently. As you watch Rufioh and his father leave, shoulders heavy with grief, you vow to make sure no one ever vanishes again.


	3. Forgotten mercy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "However, unlike those capricious mutts, I am capable of mercy. I will not eat you today, O defective one."

 

**9 Years Past**

 

_There._ The wolf takes this opportunity to shed his lupine skin, changing and stretching into his mortal one. When finished, he rolls his shoulder and pops some joints, wincing. He glides over to the child attempting a sweet smile. “What are you doing, little one?”  His voice is rusty. It’s been awhile since he’s been around a human.The child turns around and stares up at the stranger with big, orange eyes and. It points to the lark sitting on the branch of a tree and jumps for it, its little body not even coming close to the height needed.   
  
“Bird!”  
 _  
Ah_. He’d had to learn a bit about human culture and language, so as not to raise suspicion if he’d ever needed something from the village. “Are you trying to catch it?”  
The small boy nods fervently, and jumps again, missing entirely.  
  
“Why don’t we go to my house? I have a ladder there we can use to catch your lark.”  
  
“Ok.”  Reaching a hand out, the little boy grabs onto the wolf, walking quietly. It’s.. Refreshing. Normally, meals refuse to cease their incessant chatter, bubbling away at every little thing. It’s such a shame he’d be eating this one. The child would make quite the pet.  
  
The two of them leave the edges of the forest, winding steadily towards the den.  
  
“Alright, pet. I’ll be back in a moment with the ladder. Stay still for me, won’t you?”  
  
The small creature only lifts his orange eyes to the beast, letting go of his hand in acknowledgement. Gliding away, the were waits until the child sits, to duck behind the wooden refuge of his abode. Shifting back into his preferred form, he brushes purposefully against some low branches, stepping on twigs with abandon. Closing his eyes, he take in a deep breath, waiting for the sharp, delicious tang of fear to fill the air.  After a moment, he pops an eye open, looking vaguely confused. The boy is looking in his direction.. Yet, there’s nothing. No fear, no panic.. Perhaps he cannot see well enough? To remedy this, the shifter pushes his head through the vegetation, stepping into plain sight. Again, he waits, delighted when the child jumps to his feet. _Here it comes_. The child will run, and he is more than prepared for the chase. Perhaps he’ll toy with it? Allow it to escape before pouncing? _After all, a little play before a meal only does the body good_. Sitting on his haunches, he decides to give the boy a chance to move.

Smiling, the human makes his way towards the wolf, with an open palm, not a bit of fright anywhere to be found in his orange eyes. Perhaps.. this human is defective. No matter. A defective meal is still a good one.  He circles the boy, sizing up which part of him will be juiciest, when small hands come down on his head, scratching softly over his fur. The beast stiffens in shock before relaxing into those soothing hands. Suddenly, it’s like a switch has been flipped inside of him, and all he can feel is calm.

  
“Good puppy.”  
  
_Tch. I am more than any of those sniveling, fickle, washed out hounds you breed, put together. How brash of you to insult me in this way._ Under the relaxing touch, the most the wolf can manage is a low growl and a side glare as he rests his head on his paws, and allows the child to pet him, knowing that if he can’t eat, he might as well be comforted.  
  
_However, unlike those capricious mutts, I am capable of mercy. I will not eat you today, O defective one._  


* * *

**Present Day**  
  
  
  
  
  
“Keep chopping, we’ve got to get this wood in before dark.”  
  
You nod in annoyance, sweat dripping off you as you fell the 6th tree since morning. It's now getting close to evening, and you're four trees from reaching completion. You’re 100% sure the process would have been a lot faster had you been helped, but none of the other men had wanted to enter the forest, muttering things about it being full of “spooks”. Instead they sat around while you chopped, discussing last night’s event.  
  
“They say a wild animal took him, that there was blood found in the forest.”  
  
“Don’t be stupid, everyone knows not to go into the woods. Not since Vriska.”  
  
Your mind briefly flits to the stories you heard when you were little. A little girl last seen at the edges of the forest, from countless years past. You dismiss your thoughts when the next man speaks.  
  
“What if it wasn’t an animal? There say two pairs of  footprints were found. One too large to be the boy’s.”  
  
“You think there’s a killer in our village?”    
  
“It doesn’t have to be from our village.”  
  
“What are you saying then, Sollux? That someone trekked the distance only to go on a murderous spree,” asks one of the voices in a sardonic tone.  
  
“Not if they were already here, Kurloz.”  
  
A new voice pipes in, “Your tales aren’t adding up, if they’re not here, and they didn’t come from afar, where have they come from?”  
  
A pause. “The forest.”  
  
Time seems to stop as the group collectively holds their breath. The sky seems to get a bit darker and the oncoming shadows seem to get a bit larger. There’s something eerie in the air, a haze of suspension, that leave the men waiting for something. Anything to happen. Sucked into the chatter, you freeze too, oddly anxious.  
A few moments pass, and a nervous laugh bleats through the silence, shocking the group out of their muddle. The laugh bounces around the others, picking up in volume until the tension melts away and you all resume the things you were doing.  
  
Stepping back as the last tree falls, you turn to the group and clear your throat, flicking your head towards the kindling. The others gather around you, still mumbling against themselves as they load up the wood into a cart, retrieve their axes, and prepare for the journey back to the village.  
  
  
Before the cart starts off, Kurloz nudges Sollux.  “You’re being ridiculous, those are just old wives tales used to keep children in line.” His voice lowers in pitch, “Everyone knows there’s no such thing as a werebeast.”  
  
The others laugh and chat amongst themselves while you ponder in silence. You know that of course there’s nothing supernatural about your tiny village. Of course there’s no weres, there haven’t been any signs or new sightings of them for at least 200 years… And yet. You can’t help but feel as though you’ve forgotten something… Something very important..     
  
“Oi, get your head out of the clouds, and help us tether the horses, Dirk!”  
  
Shaking it off, you do as told. Perhaps it’ll come to you another day. After all, if you’ve forgotten, how important could it have been? __  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments? Questions? Concerns? 
> 
> P.s if anything from this chapter didn't make sense or I changed my tenses, or the times don't add up don't hesitate to tell me! I'm trying to experiment with something new, which is why it might take me a liiiitle longer to update this one.


	4. Curfew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1\. No villagers are allowed out after the sun sets, nor before the sun rises. Anyone found out after dark shall be questioned and taken into custody.
> 
> 2\. All able-bodied adult members shall be put into search parties to look for any remains of the kidnapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It really has been a while, please feel free to yell at me if I take too long!
> 
> Come find me on tumblr, I love making new friends!
> 
>  
> 
> jakey-kun.tumblr.com

The next week brings meeting after meeting. The church now rings the bells to signal what the meeting will be about. One toll if animals have gone missing, Three if villagers have been taken, and Four if a body has been found. After Tavros, three goats and six more children vanished. After the third kidnapping, you refused to go to any more meetings. Instead, you climb on the roof of your home and try to block out the ringing of the bells. Panic spreads through the village, poisoning the people with fear. Unspoken questions suffocate the people into silence. Everyone wants to know why their children are being taken, and how to stop it, but no one dares to ask. After all, everyone wants to know _why_ things happen, but rarely does anyone stay to find out the what, or who that caused them. Supposedly, Rose Lalonde, the village’s cartographer, had found two sets of footprints close to the edge of the forest. One belonging to a child, and one belonging to an adult. She reported that both disappear a few steps into the woods, as if someone had deliberately covered their tracks.

Due to the news, two new town rules have been installed:

**1\. No villagers are allowed out after the sun sets, nor before the sun rises. Anyone found out after dark shall be questioned and taken into custody.**

**2\. All able-bodied adult members shall be put into search parties to look for any remains of the kidnapped.**

   
Your brother had been assigned to a search party, and had left early. You'd missed the chance to see him off as you were still sleeping, and he won't return until sundown. When he comes back you'll apologize. You’d declined an invitation to cut wood with the other men in order to be ready when he comes back, and you’d already finished your household chores. You decide to head to the roof, so that you'll notice when the party comes back into town. You relax, watching the quiet hustle and bustle of the villagers at work. You can’t believe how much the village has changed. Only a month ago, shouts rang through the town while laughter echoed off the buildings. Children ran through the streets together, playing games, and enjoying life. Adults sang while they worked, pretty melodies and soulful lyrics floating through the air. Now, the melodies are gone, children walk, and nobody laughs. It’s quiet from sunup until sundown. You lie back, folding your hands under your head, and stare at the soft blue sky, trying not to remember the last time a curfew had been enforced.

**12 Years past**

_The sun’s starting to set. He shouldn’t be out._ The wolf relaxes at the sight of the human, something unknown rising in him- not joy, not anxiety, but something he isn’t willing to recognize for fear of what it might be. He immediately squashes the emotion back down, before whining softly, allowing the male to locate his presence.

“Hello?” It’s not the first time he’s heard the child’s voice. After all, he’s been watching over the boy for more than 13 lunar cycles. However, the sweet sound shocks him every time. How can something so vile and human have such an alluring voice? It’s light and airy and delicate, and he finds himself drawn to it.  "Hello,” the voice calls again, anxious this time. The wolf doesn’t make a sound, but instead slips out of the bushes, circling the human. The boy smells of sunlight and orange gingerbread. “Oh, it’s just you. Hello.” The child smiles at him, rubbing his ears. The wolf leans into its touch, cursing himself mentally for his weakness. He can’t keep allowing this tiny male to render him docile. He moves away after a minute of petting, and sniffs at the basket the boy carries.  
“No, no, not for you.” The boy pulls his basket away while the wolf rolls his eyes.

_As if._

“Horuss made cookies. They’re going to my big brother. He’s really sick.”

The wolf lowers himself onto his haunches, resting his head on his paws and pretending to be entirely unimpressed when the boy sits next to him and strokes his fur.

“Mommy and Daddy left a while ago for their trip. Bro hasn’t been sleeping, so he’s tired all the time. He started coughing real bad today, so Horuss told me to come find some lav’nder so we can also make tea for Bro, but I don’t know where to find it.”

 _If you’d like, I can show you where it grows._ The wolf stares pointedly at the basket before looking up at the child, hoping his meaning comes through. He has been careful not to use his human form around the boy since their first meeting, so in case he ever needs anything from the village, the child will not recognize him.

The little Human pulls the basket away again, “I told you, these are for Bro!”

The wolf does his best to contain an exasperated sigh. He nudges the boy gently with his nose before padding over to a nearby patch of lavender, and plopping down roughly next to it. _You’re welcome._

The child’s eyes light up, and he hugs the wolf tightly. “Thank you!” The wolf grins as smugly as a canine can, a happy rumble building in his chest, until the child lets go of him in a panic. “The sun is almost gone! Mr. Kankri said none of us could leave the house after dark until mom and dad and the others come back from their trip. Goodnight, Mr. Wolf!” With that, the child stands and scrambles off, racing the waning sun.

The wolf snorts to himself, watching the boy disappear through the trees.

_Do not get caught. Goodnight, little Human._

 

* * *

 

 ** _Dong_.** You startle awake to the sound of a bell. That’s odd, you could have sworn that the meeting for the day had already passed.The sky is darker now, the sun's rays mixing and melting around the horizon, painting the landscape a soft orange. You sit up blearily and try to focus on the rest of your surroundings when you hear shouts from below your feet. _**Dong.**_ The sound reverberates through you.

“Dirk! Come down, quickly!”

You lean over, hoping it’s your brother. Instead, it’s your neighbor, Horuss. Though you don’t bear any ill-will towards him, since he's watched over you and your Bro since you were little, you've always been amazed over his ability to sit down. After all, it must be very difficult for him to take a seat with such a large stick shoved up his butt. You smirk to yourself as he reaches the house, panting. _**Dong.**_

You roll your eyes and prepare to shout something rude, when you notice his face. You've never known him to look anything other than serious, but now he looks terrified. Your heart jumps into your throat. Climbing off the roof as fast as possible, you try to maintain a calm facade as you face him. “Is everything alright? What's happened?”

 

Horuss shakes his head, looking a little sick, leaning against the side of your home as he catches his breath. "Dirk. Your brother.”

**_Dong._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, questions, kudos, criticism? 
> 
> All are welcome! I also have a tumblr, so!
> 
>  

**Author's Note:**

> Are you afraid of the big bad wolf?


End file.
